Hame-fastener.



H. F. HYMAN. HAME FASTENER- APPLICATION FILED mm: a. 1910.

992,132. Patented May 9, 1911.

WITNESSES: INVENIOH i flckb UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY F. HYMAN, OF WILLIS, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO A. M. CARSON, OF WILLIS, TEXAS.

4 HAME-FASTENER.

992,132, Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 9, 1911,

Application filed June 3, 1910. -Serial No. 564,906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. I'IYMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Willis, in the county of Montgomery and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heme-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in hame fasteners.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which will securely fasten the hames together while on the neck of the draft animal and which at the same time, may be readily released, and it is to be observed that the fastener is so shaped that it may be used either as a top or bottom fastener for the hames.

With the above and other objects in view my invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction and operation, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my complete device. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the securing hook. Fig. 3 is a plan View thereof. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the main body portion of the fastening with one of the prongs removed. Fig. 5 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the connecting link. Fig. 7 is a plan View thereof, and Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the fastener partially opened and in position to to be released.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral 1 refers to the main body portion of the fastener which includes the hook at, by which the device is secured to one of the hames, and the prongs b and 0. The free ends of the prongs are enlarged, as shown, and are provided with bearings for a purpose presently to be described.

The numeral 2 refers to a connecting link, which is hinged to the free ends of the prongs and which is arcuate in shape to conform to the shape of the prongs b and 0. This link comprises a connecting bridged and two fingers e and f, and it is embraced by the prongs b and 0 of the body portion and is secured thereto by means of lugs 3 and 4, which pass into the hearings in the free ends of said prongs and engage with said link in such a manner as to form a hinge connection between the prongs and the link. The inner edges of the link fingers are provided with notches those of one finger being alined with those of the other for a purpose to be presently set forth.

The numeral 5 refers to the hook which is designed to engage with the other hame and which carries two laterally extending studs 6 and 7 designed to engage with the notches of the link fingers and it is to be observed that these notches look toward the free end of the link so as to secure these studs therein when the fastener is closed.

The body portion of the fastener is provided with a guard 8, suitably secured to the top of the same and extending from end to end of said body portion, through which the' pole strap of the harness may be drawn. This guard serves the purpose of allowing a limited free lateral play of the pole strap and prevents the collar from becoming worn by the constant friction of the strap against the collar. Ring 12 is sometimes preferred as a substitute for the guard 8 and is free to play laterally in said guard, the strap being passed through the ring instead of through the guard.

In use the hook 5 is inserted between the fingers c and f of link 2 so that its studs 8 and 4 will engage with the notches of the link as shown in Fig. 8, and the respective hooks of the device are then engaged with the hames to be secured together. The link 2 is then closed, as shown in Fig. 1. The free ends of the prongs or fingers of link 2 are provided with laterally extending lugs, 9 and 10, which are caused to engage in recesses 11, on account of the elasticity of the said fingers, provided in the inner sides of the prongs of body portion 1 and secure the link in its closed position and it is further to be observed that the link is sufficiently curved so that a pull exerted by the hook 5 will operate against said link and tend to keep the device closed. A plurality of notches is provided in the link fingers so as to regulate the grip of the hames about the neck of the draft animal.

WVhen it is desired to loosen the hames the free ends of the link fingers may be pressed inwardly so as to disengage the lugs 9 and 10 from their respective recesses and the device opened and the hook 5 then disengaged from the said fingers.

A fastener constructed in accordance with the above description and the drawings accompanying the same and made a part thereof will be found to be compact and practical and efficient in accomplishing the result sought to be attained.

What I claim is:

1. In a hame fastener, a body portion, a hook carried at one end thereof for securing the same to a hame, a strap guard carried by said body portion and extending substantially from end to end of said body portion, the inner sides of the said body portion being provided with depressions, a bifurcated link hingedly secured at one end to said body portion and carrying upon the free ends of its bifurcation laterally extending lugs designed to engage with said depressions, when the said hame fastener is closed and hold said link in a closed position, a detachable member, one end of which is provided with a hook designed to be engaged with a hame and the other end of which carries laterally projecting knobs, whereby said member may be detachably secured to said link, and a ring carried by said hame fastener and passing through the said strap guard and having free lateral play therein, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a hamefastener a body portion, a hook carried at one end thereof for securing the same to a hame, a strap guard carried by said body portion and extending, substantially, from end to end of said body portion, the said strap guard being on the top part of said body portion, the inner sides of the body portion being provided with depressions adapted toreceive lugs, a bifurcated link hingedly secured to one end of said body portion and carrying upon the free ends of its bifurcation laterally extending lugs designed to engage with said depressions when said hame fastener is closed and hold said link in a closed position, and

a detachable member, one end of which is provided with a hook designed to be engaged wit-h a hame and the other end of which carries laterally projecting knobs, whereby said member may be detachably secured to said link.

3. A hame fastener composed of a body portion, a means for securing the same to a hame, a strap guard carried thereby, a bifurcated link hingedly secured at one end to the body portion and carrying upon the free ends of said bifurcation laterally extending lugs for engaging with said body portion, a detachable member one end of which is provided with a hook designed to be engaged with a hame and the other end of which carries means whereby said member may be detachably secured to said link.

4. In a hame fastener, a body portion, a hook carried at one end for securing the same to a hame, a strap guard carried by said body portion and extending, substantially, from end to end of said body portion, depressions carried in the inner sides of the body portion adapted to receive lugs, a bifurcated link hingedly secured at one end to the body portion and carried upon the free ends of said bifurcation, laterally extending lugs designed to engage wit-h the said depressions, a detachable member, one end of which is provided with a hook designed to be engaged with a hame and the other end of which carries means whereby said member may be detachably secured to said link, and a ring carried by said hame fastener, substantially as and for the pur pose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY F. HYMAN.

WVitnesses:

E. C. GUY, WM. B. SCHUYLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

